Most people (me included) aren’t fans of being considered wild-eyed lunatics, or fearful Chicken Littles. That’s what a lot of people think of when they hear ‘prepper’, though. Still, many of us want to talk to people we care about and encourage them to be ready for the inevitable ‘rainy days’. One way to have those conversations without coming across as extreme or even making it obvious that you are a prepper is to use cases.
Whattaya mean, ‘use cases’
Case histories are an old staple of medical education. It’s a method of using a single concrete example to teach. Say Doc Renaissance wants to communicate to his colleagues about a new condition he’s discovered. How’s he do it? He gives a thorough description of a patient, how he treated him, and what the outcome was. His colleagues are so edified they name the disease after him. (Well, that’s how it worked a lot of the time, anyway.)
Why is using cases a good way to talk about prepping?
People love stories. They care about stories where they can identify with the characters. They don’t care about hypotheticals; especially hypotheticals they don’t think will ever turn real. If Doc Renaissance had just looked at a bunch of people with the same disorder, then described its main characteristics, maybe with some statistical information about variants…Yeesh. They’d *never* have named the disorder after him.
That’s why you don’t make up the cases. Use real situations; or real people and their real lives then lead them into situations they can easily believe. This approach not only makes more impact than a lecture, but it’s also easier to fit into a conversation.
Historical cases
Showing how prepping has worked for someone (maybe you) in the past stuffs the ‘that will never happen’ dismissal.
“Yeah, that tree came down in the ice storm last winter. The wind was blowing so hard the ice was falling sideways! It blew right into our heating unit and froze the fan in place. Then with the big freeze that followed, the stupid thing wouldn’t work for a week. Of course we just lit up the propane wall unit and were fine, but Man that was some storm!” (True story, btw.)
Cases that show interest in your conversation partner’s life
Part of the power of using cases is that you can make it specific to the person you’re talking to. We’re human, we like to talk about ourselves and have people take an interest in our lives.
For example, I have a sister who is now living alone, at the dead end of a tree-lined gravel road way back out there. “It was sure a lovely morning for a walk! I hauled some limbs off the road; the wind must’ve brought them down last night. What do you do if a tree too big to shove aside blocks your road out?” (She carries a chainsaw in her vehicle…so she can not only get out, but get back in if it happens while she’s away.)
Cases centered on situations that happened to someone else
You might also ‘arm-chair quarterback’ other people’s drama. Hey, we don’t have to learn Everything the hard way, do we? We can learn from other people’s issues. Especially if your conversation partner could see herself in that situation.
“Wow, air traffic must be a complete snarl with all those planes grounded. I heard some people have been stuck in the airport for three days. You might as well get a job working an airport kiosk! I wonder what they do if they need meds and they didn’t bring enough?”
Leave the crowbar at home
Cases are a fun way to teach. They’re fun from both sides of the conversation, teacher and learner. It’s ok; I checked my Prepper Contract; we’re allowed to have fun. Cases can arise and thread through real conversations. You don’t have to pick them apart and deliver a Moral of the Story to make them effective. In fact, they probably work best when your conversation partner draws her own conclusions — if it’s your idea, you of course Like it better!
These cases should be part of a conversation, not a bludgeoning.*
So don’t try and make this some heavy-handed thing. That’ll just invite people to roll their eyes and tune out … like you do when a tiresome colleague trots out his hobbyhorse idea Yet Again. It’s just a nice little way to plant some seeds.
*Thanks for the image to Wikimedia Commons
Spice;
I have been stupid enough to completely blow OPSEC once or twice, without even knowing it was happening.
Things as simple as mentioning I was going to a ‘Mill’ to get a bunch of locally grown Beans. “Well what do you need all those for”, than BAM, like a brick they say “Well I’m coming to your place if something happens”.
Talking to others in ‘tongue’ is difficult at best, very awkward when you don’t really know those that are listening, and there is ALWAYS someone listening.
I will agree in one’s going to toss OPSEC to the wind and really try to convince someone of ‘this-that’ than you’re absolutely correct.
“Remember Katrina” or “Remember when the power went out for 2 weeks last winter” is always a good way to start.
BUT, this day and age, I still try to play OPSEC close to the belt.
Sure if someone is 1/2 way goo with the Net, there is absolutely NO hiding as soon as you buy that Berkey Filter from Amazon, just a couple of purchases and you’re known to the world.
Thank you for the Article, very good food for thought.
Salty if your trying to remind people to carry some warm clothing in their car for winter or pack more than a days worth of needed meds in their carry on a story would get the point across with out compromising OPSEC and you’d not look like a Chicken Little.
Beyond that I urge caution. People remember forever when trouble comes who said something about being ready (prepared’s safer word) for it. If they can find you they will come seeking your assistance. Thus that article or three about OPSEC on this site.
A person needs to think about what potential trouble you will bring on you and your family by urging even by stories about preparing for potential troubles. I have personal friends who had unwanted “Guests” arrive because they must have some “Extra” supplies when severe flooding occurred in Oregon. Happily between the waters subsiding pretty fast and the local Sherriff called in by my friends “Assisting the “Guests” to leave them alone all was well.
If you want to go the Luke 1027-37 route know it’s expensive and given the lack of honor I see all around you MAY BE the newly beaten and robbed man kicked out of your prepared home.
Think before speaking is basic OPSEC. When someone asks why I’m buying a few cases of canned tomatoes I tell them a misdirection about the food bank. They can think it’s “Fill in the blank” food bank but it’s my food bank.
Determine ahead just how much you feel the need to aid a person, knowing that while that person maybe decent how many hangers on may join in when things get ugly out there.